CHCP shares tips on staying healthy this Christmas

Christmas is a wonderful time of year when we get together with friends and family, enjoy good food, exchange gifts and generally unwind. However, it can also be a time of stress, overindulgence and increased accident rates.

City Health Care Partnership (CHCP) is an independent organisation that helps people in Hull and the surrounding area to stay healthy.

Their services are wide-ranging, including GP out-of-hours clinics, community pain management and prison health care. Simultaneously, they present everyday support with sexual health, mental health, eating disorders and quitting smoking.

Being a partnership, CHCP is composed of a diverse portfolio of businesses and registered charities dedicated to improving quality of life. Specifically, this is achieved by minimising the need for hospital treatment by providing early intervention, community-based treatment and the promotion of healthy lifestyles.

Go smokefree this Christmas

With the stress of shopping, cooking and budgeting, many smokers increase their intake during the Christmas period, exacerbating their addiction.

Ready to Stop Smoking is a free service run by CHCP, offering advice, encouragement and various Nicotine Replacement Therapy (NRT) products. These range from nicotine gum and patches, to inhalators and nasal spray.

These NRT products are free when using the service or available for a regular prescription charge. With CHCP’s help, you’re four times more likely to quit for good.

Everything in moderation

Another service available is A Better Life, which offers weight management programmes tailored to adults, young people, families and pregnant mums.

By making small changes to eating and drinking habits, ABL can help you to take control of your lifestyle. There’s no better time to start than Christmas, when we usually make excuses for overindulgence.

Fast treatment for accidents

According to NHS Choices, a staggering 80,000 people in the UK need hospital treatment for injuries sustained during the festive period each year.

With this in mind, we spoke to Lucy Flower, Communications, Marketing and Engagement Team Lead at CHCP, about how to get help when we need it.

“The minor injuries unit (MIU) in Bransholme Health Centre is open from 9am to 10pm every day, including bank holidays, and even on Christmas Day,” says Lucy.

“You don’t need an appointment, you can just turn up. The nurse practitioners give advice, information and treatment for wounds and abrasions, cuts, burns, scalds, bites and many other injuries.”

“Waiting times are much shorter than at A&E. Plus if more people go to MIU, those who are seriously ill can get seen at A&E much more quickly. This can save lives.”

As well as the Bransholme Health Centre facility, there is another MIU at the Freedom Centre on Preston Road, which is open Monday to Friday, 9am to 5pm. If you have a minor injury over the Christmas period or any other time of year, please consider MIU over going straight to the hospital.

“MIU staff can also fast-track patients to X-ray at Hull Royal Infirmary,” adds Lucy, “so you don’t have to wait in the Emergency Department. It really is a valuable service.”

So whilst we hope you have a very merry Christmas filled with fun and festivities, make sure to look after your health in the process. There’s no better way to begin our year as Hull UK City of Culture 2017 than with a full bill of health!